A black tie party for a great cause – with Project Share

You and your friends are cordially invited …

I hate to run. I mean really, truly, hate it. I’m also quite bad at it, such that if I were a character in a disaster film and had to outrun a dinosaur to reach the arms of my waiting hero … I’d probably get eaten. You can rightly assume then, that I’ve never run a marathon for charity or even struggled through 10k for a good cause.

I do like a mean party though, and am a huge fan of what the team at Project Share are trying to achieve – ergo, all Sassy girls are cordially invited to the inaugural Do Something Different Black Tie Benefit Party, in aid of Project Share!

The party, on Saturday 11 February, will feature an open bar, buffet dinner, two amazing DJs, a spectacular array of raffle prizes… and it’s all in the name of an excellent, very local, and very worthwhile cause! See all the details below:

Project Share is definitely a cause worth supporting! They are Hong Kong-based and reach out to local 16-19 year-old students from the city’s most disadvantaged districts, aiming to help them improve their social circumstances and career prospects. Through a combination of outreach programs, internship opportunities and workshops, Project Share hopes to equip these youths with basic skills to better their chances in life and to instill in them hope for the future. They connect hardworking teenagers with professional organisations through specifically-tailored internship programs, so they can experience firsthand what life might be like in a professional organisation in a field they are interested in. Workshops teach self-understanding, teamwork, confidence and aim to increase the communication skills and problem-solving skills that many of us take for granted, but that can be transformational in a teen with the right mix of enthusiasm and eagerness.

Although they are only in their second year of operation, Project Share has all the hallmarks of a charity that can make a huge difference for the youth of Hong Kong and already has a top-notch board and an impressive list of local internship partners. The team hope to increase the number of internshipsand the number of workshop places they can offer this year and, over time, encourage social mobility and help give some of Hong Kong’s more deprived youngsters the inspiration and motivation to improve their future.

I used to take being an expat for granted, revelling in the life that being a professional affords in Hong Kong; I have come to realise however, that the gentle nudge from my parents and the myriad of choices inherent in the social system I grew up in, were a luxury I’m really grateful to have had. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll happily moan about my day over a glass of wine – sister’s gotta stay sane, right?!

I know there are many worthy causes around and this one is simply mine. If you’re interested in helping Project Share or just think a black tie party is a nice way to spice up the grey weather, please do grab your glad rags and come along! There are also a limited number of tickets reserved for Sassy readers and it should be a great night out… or at least, much more fun than a marathon!

Where: Habitat Lounge, 29/F QRE Plaza, Queens Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
When: Saturday 11 February 2012, 7.30pm til late
How much: HK$1,000 (which includes full open bar, buffet dinner, midnight snacks, karaoke kick-on and other surprises on the night)
Dress code: Strictly black tie
Contact: [email protected] for ticket purchase information